As protests grew across Assam against the proposed move of the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government to resume work on the 2000-megawatt hydroelectric project of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) at Gerukamukh along Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border within a week, the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) on Friday rushed to clarify that it had impressed upon the Centre that the project work should not commence without taking the people of Assam into confidence.
The work on the project has been halted since December 16, 2011 due to vigorous protests by various organisations including the BJP which expressed apprehension against the safety of the mega dam of the hydroelectric project and adverse downstream impact in Assam. The BJP also made it one of their major poll planks in the recent Lok Sabha polls.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal on Thursday night assured to hold consultations with all stakeholders after a state BJP delegation led by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Sports and Skill Development and state BJP president Sarbananda Sonowal met him to impress upon him on the need to first hold the consultation with all stakeholders including the experts before taking any move on the project.
Mr. Goyal, however, told media persons, with Mr. Sonowal and other senior state BJP leader by his side, that that expert committee reports stated that the project would not be detrimental to the interest of the people of Assam and if necessary consultations with all stakeholders to address their concern would be arranged to explain that. He also said that the project, if completed, would end the problem of power crisis in Assam and would generate huge job avenues.
The Asom Yuba Parishad, youth wing of the opposition Asom Gana Parishad burnt effigy of Mr. Goel in the city in protest against the Centre’s proposed move to resume work on Lower Subansiri hydroelectric project.
They also burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for failure to curb price hike. The youth wing of the regional party alleged that both the Congress and the BJP were two-sides of the same coin. The All Assam Students’ Union, the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, the AGP have already announced that they would resist any move to resume work on the project and accused the BJP of going back on its poll promise on the issue. The Assam government has been maintaining the position that it was not opposed to the project but wanted the NHPC to listen to experts to address concern expressed by these groups on safety of the mega dam and also address the issues of downstream impact.
